Rail construction for toy rail vehicles

ABSTRACT

A rail construction for toy vehicles includes an elongated web having opposite major surfaces and two transversely spaced longitudinal edge portions. A pair of beads each extends along one of these edges portions and at least one electrical conductor is provided on one of the major surfaces extending lengthwise of the web and having an exposed face which is adapted to be engaged by a contact of a toy rail vehicle which is to receive electrical energy from the conductor. Support means for supporting the rail on edge is provided, so that one of the beads constitutes a guide for the vehicle in the manner of a monorail construction.

United States Patent- Artur Fischer [72] inventor v Altheirner Strasse, Tumlingen, Germany [21 1 Appl. No. 882,102 [22] Filed Dec. 4,1969 [45] Patented Aug. 31, 1971 [32] Priority Dec. 6, 1968 [33] Germany [31] P18 13054.6

[54] RAIL CONSTRUCTION FOR TOY RAIL VEHICLES v 6 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

[52] 11.8. CI 238/10 E, 46/1, 46/29 [51] Int. Cl A63h 19/30, A63h 21/04 [50] Field of Search 238/10 A-F, 14.05; 46/], 29; 191/22, 45, 47

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,949,720 3/1934 Kelley 238/1015 2,428,468 10/1947 Pinder 238/10 E 3,075,705 l/l963 Wilhelm 238/10 E 3,463,393 8/1969 Fischer 238/10 E FOREIGN PATENTS 357,319 11/1961 Switzerland 238/10 Primary Examiner-Arthur L. LaPoint Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch Attorney-Michael S. Striker ABSTRACT: A rail construction for toy vehicles includes an elongated web having opposite major surfaces and two transversely spaced longitudinal edge portions. A pair of beads each extends along one of these edges portions and at least one electrical conductor is provided on one of the major sur- PATENTEU M153] 1911' 3502 4130 RAIL CONSTRUTEON FOR TOY RAIL VEHICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to toys, and more particularly to construction toys. Still more specifically the invention relates to a rail construction for toy rail vehicles.

It is already well known to provide construction kits with requisite components for erecting a rail system for toy rail vehicles. Some of the rails provided in this context consist of electrically conductive material via which electrical power is supplied to electrically operated toy rail vehicles such as trains or the like. It is common to provide the two actual rails of electrically conductive material and connecting one to positive and the other to negative polarity, whereas the ties electrically insulate the rails from one another. However, it is also known to connect the two actual rails to negative polarity and to provide a third rail which extends along the actual rails and which is connected to positive polarity. This third rail has no guide functions for the wheels of the vehicle and is only contacted by a sliding contact-usually a spring contactprovided on the vehicle.

These known constructions are fully operative and fill their intended functions. However, and this is particularly true in the type of toy construction kit where the playing child is able to construct different types of toy rail vehicles at will from the constituent components of the kit, these known constructions cannot be utilized if the child wishes to construct a monorail line. In fact, they cannot be used in any circumstance where only a single rail is desired to be used or where only a single rail can in fact be utilized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved rail construction.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved toy rail construction which permits the supply of electric energy to toy rail vehicles-and generally in all applicationswhere only a single rail is required or can be used.

In pursuance of the above objects, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides, briefly stated, in a rail for toy rail vehicles which comprises an elongated web having opposite major surfaces and two transversely spaced longitudinal edge portions. A pair of beads each extend along one of these edge portions and at least one electrical conductor is provided on one of the major surfaces extending lengthwise of the web and having an exposed face adapted to be engaged by a contact of a toy rail vehicle which is to receive electrical energy from the conductor.

Evidently, if only one electrical conductor is provided, then the rail itself, that is either the bead which serves for guidance of the vehicle, the web or both, can serve as electrical conductors in conjunction with the aforementioned electrical conductor, with the latter being conducted for instance to positive polarity and the rail and/or web being connected to negative polarity. Evidently, in this case the rail and/or web must con sist of an electrically conductive material, which may be an electrically conductive plastic. However, because it is particularly advantageous and inexpensive to construct the rail construction according to the present invention from synthetic plastic material, and especially from electrically nonconductive synthetic plastic material, as by extrusion, it is advantageous to provide two electrical conductors located respectively on the two major surfaces of the web. Each of these electrical conductors then has an exposed face which may be contacted by a contact on a toy rail vehicle.

Utilizing the rail construction according to the present invention it is possible to erect a monorail system without requiring special current-conducting rails or other installations, such as an overhead conductor. Similarly, the toy rail construction according to the present invention may be util ized as a rail for electrically operated toy trains or as a guide rail for electrically operated toy elevators.

The rail constructions according to the present invention may be provided in sections of desired length, and such sections may be connected longitudinally with one another and with other components of a toy construction kit. Advantageously the support and/or connecting means provided for this purpose will be in form of elements provided with recesses or grooves or the like whose cross-sectional configuration corresponds to that of one of the beads of the rail sections so that an increment of such a bead can be matingly received in the corresponding groove or recess. In fact, if the rail construction is used in conjunction with the known type of construction kit wherein the various components are connccted with one another via matingly undercut coupling heads and coupling grooves-as for instance disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 514,165-then the cross-sectional configuration of one of the beads may be made to correspond with that of the grooves in components of the building kit so that such components may serve as support means for the rail.

It is advantageous if the electrical conductor or conductors have at least limited freedom of sliding displacement lengthwise of the respective rail section, because there are many instances where the rail must be installed in a curved condition, that is curved transversely to its elongation and in direction normal or substantially normal to the plane of its web. Thus, on the concave side of the curvature the electrical conductor will then extend slightly beyond the opposite longitudinal end faces of the web whereas a similar conductor located at the convex side of the curvature will have its end portions slightly inwardly displaced of the respective opposite end faces. This is of no consequence, however, because in order to permit proper eiectrical continuity between longitudinal adjacent and connected rail sections it is in any case necessary for end portions of the respective conductors to overlap one another to some extent.

In this context it has been found to be advantageous for an end portion of the electrical conductor-which latter is advantageously received in a groove provided in the respective major surface of the webto extend beyond one end face of the web, whereas in the region of the other end face the groove has a depth greater than necessary to accommodate the thickness of the electrical conductor so that a second rail section can be connected to the first rail section with its outwardly projecting portion of its electrical conductor extending into the groove section of greater depth into overlapping electrically conductive engagement with the portion of the electrical conductor of the first-mentioned rail section which is located in this groove section of greater depth. This brings with it the further advantage that an abutmentthat is an endto-end contact-betwcen the cooperating electrical conductors of two connected rail sections is avoided whereby electrical continuity is more reliably provided than would otherwise be possible and momentary interruptions of current supply which might occur as the sliding contact of a rail vehicle moves over the location of abutment, are overcome. Of course, the projecting portion of the conductor may be suitably configurated or consist ofsuitable material to provide for tight, advantageously springy, engagement with the overlapping trailing portion of a conductor in another rail section with which it is to be conducted. Where the rail sections are provided with two electrical conductors a portion of one of them may extend beyond one end face of the web and a portion of the other of them may extend beyond the other end face of the web.

The groove in which the conductor or conductors are received may be of undercut cross section to make it possible to retain the respective electrical conductor therein with at least limited freedom of sliding movement lengthwise of the respective groove, and also to permit a connection between the conductors of adjacent connected rail sections simply by sliding the conductor of one rail section out of its groove to the extent necessary to lodge a portion in proper electrically conductive engagement in the groove of the adjacent rail section. If the rail section is formed by extrusion or the like, the groove may be produced simultaneously with the production of the rail section. However, it is possible to provide a groove which is not undercut, to insert the electrical conductor into the groove and thereupon to deform portions of the material bounding the edges of the groove under the influence of elevated temperatures in order to thus obtain an undercut cross-sectional configuration for the groove. It is not necessary that the groove be of undercut cross-sectional configuration over its entire length; an undercut cross-sectional configuration at a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations is adequate.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF Til-IE DRAWING The single FIGURE is a partly sectioned, partly perspective fragmentary view illustrating an embodiment according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As the drawing shows, reference numeral )1 identifies the rail construction per se. It comprises a web 2 which is elongated as shown, and along whose longitudinally extending edge or marginal portions there extend the beads 3 and 4 which are preferably although not necessarily of one piecev with the web 2. In the illustrated embodiment the beads 4 are of circular cross section but it is understood that the other cross-sectional configurations are possible and that the crosssectional configuration of one of the beads may differ from that of the other of the beads.

Provided on both opposite major surfaces of the Web 2 are grooves 5 each of which accommodates in the illustrated embodiment an electrical conductor 6, such as a metallic strip. The groove 5 facing the right-hand side of the drawing is provided in the region of one end face of the web 2 with a portion 8 in which its depth is greater than the depth of the remainder of the groove 5. The electrical conductor '5 located in the opposite groove 5 projects beyond this end face 7 with a portion 9. If a similar rail construction is to be connected to the one shown in the drawing a portion 9 of one of its electrical conductors corresponding to the portion 9 shown in the drawing would be inserted into the portion 5 of greater depth which is provided in the right-hand groove 5 in the drawing.

The portion 9 in the illustrated embodiment is bent inwardly so that, when it is inserted into a corresponding portion 8 of another rail construction, it will become lodged therein with a spring action and provide for good electrical contact with the cooperating electrical conductor.

Reference numeral lil identifies a support element, which may be an element specifically provided for the purpose or a building block ofa toy erecting ltit. This support element llli is fragmentarily illustrated and when in use for supporting the rail construction will rest on a supporting surface S. At least that face of the element llll which will be directed upwardly when the element ii is used to support the novel rail construction is provided with a mating groove-here undercutl which matingly receives one of the beadsin the illustrated embodiment the bead i. The support element llll may serve to provide a structural connection between two longitudinally adjacent rail constructions, or for connecting the rail con struction with other parts of a system being erected by the playing child. In the latter case the support element lll may be provided with additional connecting means for connecting it to other components of the erecting kit.

It will be appreciated that various modifications are possible over what has been illustrated by way of example in the drawing. Thus, the configuration of the portion 9, for instance, may be different from what has been illustrated as long as it is such that good electrical continuity is assured by contact of a portion 9 of one section ofa rail construction in a groove portion 8 of another section of the rail construction. While the rail construction according to the present invention is primarily intended as a guide rail providing electrical power, for instance as a monorail on whose bead 3 in the illustrated embodiment the vehicle to be guided will move, it can also be utilized as a structural element in conjunction with other components of a toy erecting kit and at such times as it not required as a rail. For instance, it may serve as a reinforcing element, it may serve as a support of a bridge or act in other capacities.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a rail for toy rail vehicles, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rail for toy rail vehicles, comprising an elongated web having opposite major surfaces, two transversely spaced longitudinal edge portions, and longitudinally spaced faces, said web being provided in at least one of said major surfaces with a groove including a first portion extending from one towards the other of said end faces, and a second portion extending from said one portion to said other end face, said first portion having a predetermined depth and said second portion having a depth at least substantially double said predetermined depth; a pair of beads each extending along one of said edge portions; and at least one electrical conductor on said one major surface extending longitudinally of said web and having an exposed face adapted to be engaged by a contact ofa rail vehicle which is to receive electrical energy, said conductor further having a center section accommodated in said first portion, and two end sections one of which is accommodated in said second portion and the other of which projects beyond said one end face for insertion into a second portion ofa groove ofa similar rail so as to establish electrical continuity with the end section of a conductor provided on said similar rail.

2. A rail as defined in claim 1 and further comprising an additional electrical conductor provided on the other of said major surfaces extending longitudinally of said web and also having an exposed face.

3. A rail as defined in claim I, said groove being undercut, and said conductor having some freedom of sliding displacement in direction longitudinally of said groove.

4. A rail as defined in claim 1, and further comprising support means for supporting said rail in predetermined orientation with reference to a support surface.

5. A rail as defined in claim 4 said beads having a predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and said support means comprising mating engagement means arranged to matingly engage one of said beads.

6. A rail as defined in claim 5, said support means comprising a support element having a face which is directed upwardly when said support means is in use; and said engageextends upwardly from said face and the other of said beads is located above and spaced from said face. 

1. A rail for toy rail vehicles, comprising an elongated web having opposite major surfaces, two transversely spaced longitudinal edge portions, and longitudinally spaced faces, said web being provided in at least one of said major surfaces with a groove including a first portion extending from one towards the other of said end faces, and a second portion extending from said one portion to said other end fAce, said first portion having a predetermined depth and said second portion having a depth at least substantially double said predetermined depth; a pair of beads each extending along one of said edge portions; and at least one electrical conductor on said one major surface extending longitudinally of said web and having an exposed face adapted to be engaged by a contact of a rail vehicle which is to receive electrical energy, said conductor further having a center section accommodated in said first portion, and two end sections one of which is accommodated in said second portion and the other of which projects beyond said one end face for insertion into a second portion of a groove of a similar rail so as to establish electrical continuity with the end section of a conductor provided on said similar rail.
 2. A rail as defined in claim 1 and further comprising an additional electrical conductor provided on the other of said major surfaces extending longitudinally of said web and also having an exposed face.
 3. A rail as defined in claim 1, said groove being undercut, and said conductor having some freedom of sliding displacement in direction longitudinally of said groove.
 4. A rail as defined in claim 1, and further comprising support means for supporting said rail in predetermined orientation with reference to a support surface.
 5. A rail as defined in claim 4, said beads having a predetermined cross-sectional configuration, and said support means comprising mating engagement means arranged to matingly engage one of said beads.
 6. A rail as defined in claim 5, said support means comprising a support element having a face which is directed upwardly when said support means is in use; and said engagement means comprising an undercut groove provided in said face and arranged to matingly receive an increment of one of said beads and adjacent portions of said web so that the latter extends upwardly from said face and the other of said beads is located above and spaced from said face. 